This drug has boxed warnings, the most serious warnings from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Boxed warnings alert doctors and patients about drug effects that may be dangerous.
Increased risk of cancer. Treatment with Remicade can raise your risk for developing cancer, including lymphoma and certain skin cancer, such as melanoma. These cancers can be fatal in some cases. Before you start using Remicade, talk with your doctor to learn more about your risk for cancer.
Increased risk of serious infections. Treatment with Remicade increases your risk for developing a serious infection, including tuberculosis (TB). These infections may lead to hospitalization or even death in rare cases. You’re at higher risk for this side effect if you use Remicade with other medications that weaken your immune system, such as methotrexate ( Trexall).
Before starting Remicade, your doctor will test you for TB. You should also let your doctor know if you have an active infection before you start treatment with Remicade. If you have TB or another active infection, your doctor will want to treat your infection before starting your Remicade treatment. If you develop a serious infection while taking Remicade, your doctor will likely temporarily pause your treatment to treat your infection.
Remicade is a brand-name prescription medication that contains the active drug infliximab, which is a biologic. It belongs to a class of drugs called tumor necrosis factor (TNF) blockers. Remicade is available in a biosimilar form.
This medication has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat the following conditions.
| In adults | • plaque psoriasis • psoriatic arthritis • rheumatoid arthritis • ankylosing spondylitis • Crohn’s disease • ulcerative colitis |
| In children ages 6 years and older | • Crohn’s disease • ulcerative colitis |
Remicade is available as follows.
- Form: powder to be made into a solution for IV infusion by a healthcare professional
- Strength: 100 milligrams (mg)
In this article, you’ll find additional information about Remicade’s dosage and details on how to take the drug. For a comprehensive overview of Remicade, view this article.
Dosage summary
For details about the drug’s dosage, see the “Remicade: Dosage” section below. Your doctor will prescribe the dosage of Remicade that’s right for your condition.
Finding a healthcare professional
If you’re interested in taking Remicade, search here to find a doctor who might prescribe it.
This article describes typical recommended dosages for Remicade. These dosages are provided by the drug’s manufacturer.
Your doctor will prescribe the dosage of Remicade that’s best for you.
Commonly recommended dosages for Remicade are shown below. However, your doctor will prescribe the Remicade dosage that’s right for you.
Remicade’s form and strength
Remicade comes as a powder in a vial to be made into a solution for IV infusion by a healthcare professional. It’s available in one strength: 100 milligrams (mg).
Typical recommended dosages
Ultimately, your doctor will prescribe the smallest dosage of Remicade that gives the desired effect.
It’s important to note that Remicade’s dosing frequency changes after your first few weeks of treatment. This is because at the beginning of treatment with Remicade you will likely receive a loading dose. (A loading dose is a higher dose given at the beginning to treatment to help get the drug into your system more quickly.)
The loading dose will be followed by a maintenance dose. (A maintenance dose is the dose you’ll take long term.) To learn more, see “Does Remicade have a loading dose” in the “Remicade: Common questions about dosage” section below.
The table below details Remicade’s dosing for its approved uses. Your dose will be based on your body weight in kilograms (kg). One kg equals about 2.2 pounds (lb).
| Loading dosage | Maintenance dosage* | |
| dosing for rheumatoid arthritis | 3 mg/kg at weeks 0, 2, and 6 | 3 mg/kg to 10 mg/kg every 4 or 8 weeks |
| dosing for ulcerative colitis | 5 mg/kg at weeks 0, 2, and 6 | 5 mg/kg every 8 weeks |
| dosing for ankylosing spondylitis | 5 mg/kg at weeks 0, 2, and 6 | 5 mg/kg every 6 weeks |
| dosing for Crohn’s disease | 5 mg/kg at weeks 0, 2, and 6 | 5 mg/kg to 10 mg/kg every 8 weeks |
| dosing for plaque psoriasis | 5 mg/kg at weeks 0, 2, and 6 | 5 mg/kg every 8 weeks |
| dosing for psoriatic arthritis | 5 mg/kg at weeks 0, 2, and 6 | 5 mg/kg every 8 weeks |
* The maintenance dosage will begin after the loading dosage is complete.
Children’s dosage
Remicade may be prescribed to treat Crohn’s disease (CD) or ulcerative colitis (UC) in children ages 6 years and older. The children’s loading dosage of Remicade for treating CD and UC is 5 mg/kg at weeks 0, 2, and 6. This is followed by a maintenance dosage of 5mg/kg every 8 weeks.
For example, a child weighing 60 lb (about 27 kg) will likely receive a Remicade dose of about 130 mg.
Length of treatment
Doctors typically prescribe Remicade as a long-term treatment. You’ll likely take it long term if you and your doctor feel it’s safe and effective for your condition.
Below are some common questions related to Remicade’s dosage.
Is there a Remicade dosing calculator?
Yes. Doctors sometimes use a dosing calculator for certain drugs. For example, they may use a dosing calculator when a drug’s dose is based on your body weight. A dosing calculator may also be helpful for figuring out how many vials of a drug such as Remicade are required for your dose.
There is a Remicade dosing calculator available from the drug’s manufacturer, which you can view here. You can also learn more about Remicade’s dosage in the “Remicade: Dosage” section above.
Does Remicade have a loading dose?
Yes, Remicade has a loading dose. A loading dose is a larger dose given at the beginning of treatment. This helps get more medication into your body sooner, allowing the drug to begin working more quickly.
Regardless of the condition you’re using Remicade to treat, you’ll likely receive loading doses. Specifically, you’ll get a Remicade infusion loading dose at weeks 0, 2, and 6. Then, you’ll receive maintenance doses of Remicade. (A maintenance dose is the dose you’ll take long term.) For maintenance doses, you’ll receive an infusion every 8 weeks.
When would my doctor increase my Remicade dose?
Your doctor may increase your Remicade dose if you’re using the medication to treat certain conditions.
Specifically, some people using Remicade to treat rheumatoid arthritis (RA) or Crohn’s disease (CD) may benefit from an increased Remicade dose. Your doctor may increase your Remicade dose if the starting dose isn’t working well enough to treat your symptoms. They may also increase your dose if Remicade stops working as well to treat RA or CD over time.
If you have questions about your Remicade dose, talk with your doctor.
Is there a specific dosing schedule for ulcerative colitis?
Yes. The usual recommended dosing schedule is to receive an infusion at weeks 0, 2, and 6, then every 8 weeks after that.
For details about Remicade’s dosing schedule for ulcerative colitis, see the “Remicade: Dosage” section above.
Your doctor will consider several factors when prescribing the dosage for Remicade. These factors include:
- the condition you’re taking Remicade to treat
- the severity of your condition
Your prescribed dosage may also vary based on other medical conditions you have.
Remicade comes as a powder inside a vial to be made into a liquid solution by a healthcare professional You’ll receive it by IV infusion.
If you find it challenging to read the label on your prescription, tell your doctor or pharmacist. Certain pharmacies provide medication labels with large print or braille. They may also offer labels containing a scannable code that your smartphone can convert from text to speech. If your pharmacy doesn’t provide these choices, your doctor or pharmacist may be able to recommend a pharmacy that does.
If it’s difficult for you to open medication bottles, ask your pharmacist if they can dispense Remicade in an easy-open container. They also may recommend ways to help make it easier to open the bottles.
If you miss a dose of Remicade, talk with your doctor’s office right away. They can help get your infusion appointment rescheduled as soon as possible.
View these medication reminder options to help avoid missing doses. You could also set an alarm or download a reminder app on your phone.
Talk with your doctor or pharmacist for additional information about Remicade’s dosage. Keep in mind that the dosages presented in this article are typical dosages provided by the drug’s manufacturer.
As with any medications you’re taking, do not change your Remicade dosage without a recommendation from your doctor.
In addition to discussing Remicade with your doctor, you may find the following articles helpful in learning more:
- Overview of Remicade. For comprehensive details on Remicade, see this article.
- Drug comparisons. To learn how Remicade compares with Humira, read this article.
- Information on side effects. If you’d like to know about possible side effects of Remicade, view this article.
- Details about Remicade’s uses. To learn more about the conditions that Remicade is used to treat, see the following articles:
Disclaimer: Healthgrades has made every effort to make certain that all information is factually correct, comprehensive, and up to date. However, this article should not be used as a substitute for the knowledge and expertise of a licensed healthcare professional. You should always consult your doctor or another healthcare professional before taking any medication. The drug information contained herein is subject to change and is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. The absence of warnings or other information for a given drug does not indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for all patients or all specific uses.
